Literary Terms Flashcards
Allegory
a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. STORY IN WHICH EVERY ASPECT HAS A SYMBOLIC MEANING OUTSIDE THE STORY
Alliteration
the repetition of beginning consonant sounds in a line of verse
Allusion
a reference to something the writer expects the reader to know
Anachorism
a thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, especially a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned.
Analogy
A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them
Anaphora
the repetition of a word of phrase at the beginning of successive clauses
FOR WEIGHT OR EMPHASIS
Anecdote
a brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event
Antagonist
a character or force in conflict with the main character
Anticlimax
an ending that disappoints after an exciting or impressive series of events.
Antihero
A main character in a story who lacks heroic qualities.
Antithesis
A thing or person that is the opposite of something or someone else
Aphorism
A concise observation that contains a general truth.
Apostrophe
a speech or address to a person who is not present or to a personified object
Archaism
old-fashioned or outdated choice of words
Archetype
CHARACTER, ACTION, OR SITUATION THAT IS A PROTOTYPE OR PATTERN OF HUMAN LIFE( THE QUEST, THE COMING OF AGE STORY, ETC…)
Assonance (Kaylee)
the repetition of the same or similar vowel sounds within words, phrases, or sentences.
Atmosphere
the emotional tone or background that surrounds a scene
Ballad
a poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas. Traditional ballads are typically of unknown authorship, having been passed on orally from one generation to the next as part of the folk culture.
Bathos
WHEN WRITING STRAINS FOR GRANDEUR THAT IT CAN’T SUPPORT AND TRIES TO JERK TEARS ; OVERLY SENTIMENTAL
Black Humor
Writing that juxtaposes morbid or ghastly elements with comical ones that underscore the senselessness or futility of life.
bombast
using larger words and language with no meaning to impress others; trying to make others believe you are of higher intelligence
burlesque (parody)
comically exaggerated for humorous purposes
cacophony
discordant sounds mixed together; many different sounds mixed together to create a ratchet sound
cadence
rhythmic measure such as a beat in music or words
caricature
the exaggeration of features or behaviors of a person, usually for comical purposes. Sometimes, an analogy of a human being having animal actions is used.
close reading
analysis of a text that allows for a deeper understanding by examining the details instead of looking at the big picture.
colloquialism
the use of slang or informal words or phrases in a text.
conceit
conceit is similar to a metaphor and a simile as it compares two very different things, but it spans the entirety of a poem or literary work. The comparison can be so farfetched that it requires focus and thought.
connotation
WHAT A WORD SUGGESTS OR IMPLIES
couplet
two lines of verse that can rhyme
denotation
the literal definition or intended meaning of a word
diction
AN AUTHOR’s CHOICE OF WORDS
dirge
a lament for the dead, especially one for funeral rites, usually in the form of a poem or song
dramatic monologue
The author takes on the voice of a character and delivers an uninterrupted speech aloud to either themselves or another character, but not directly at the audience.
elegy
POEM THAT MEDITATES ON DEATH
enjambment
When a sentence of poetry doesn’t have a pause, but instead continues to the next line or stanza
Epic
LONG POEM THAT TELLS A STORY, USUALLY WITH A HERO
Epigram
SHORT, WITTY POEM , USUALLY IN COUPLETS
Epitaph
LINES THAT COMMEMORATE THE DEAD AT THEIR BURIAL PLACE
Euphemism
The substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt
Explication
The process of analyzing a literary work to develop an idea or principle that reveals an underlying detailed meaning; to draw a meaning out of something not clearly defined.
DETAILED ANALYSIS OFTEN WORD BY WORD OR LINE BY LINE
Farce
A comic, dramatic work using horseplay and typically including crude characters as well as improbable situations.
Figure of Speech
a word or phrase used in a non-literal sense for rhetorical or vivid effect. Can include similes, euphemisms, metaphors, and more.
Flashback
A flashback is a scene in a movie, novel, etc. set in an earlier time than the current story.
Foil
a character that contrasts the characteristics of the protagonist or other character to highlight a trait of that character
Foot
basic rhythmic unit of poetry: combination of 2 or 3 syllables, either stressed or unstressed
foreshadowing
a hint of what is to come ; a sign given to the audience through symbolism, imagery, or language that suggest what is to come.
free verse
a type of poetry with no rhyme scheme, meter, or rhythm.
genre
a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.
gothic novel
an English genre of fiction popular in the 18th to early 19th centuries, characterized by an atmosphere of mystery and horror and having a pseudo medieval setting.
hubris
excessive pride or self-confidence
hyperbole
exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
imagery
The author’s use of descriptions that appeal to the five sense
impicit vs. Explicit
Implicit- implied or understood, but not specifically stated
explicit- clearly stated with no room for doubt
in media res
Literally means “In the midst of things”; When the author skips what would canonically be the beginning of a story arc, usually to the middle.
Inversion
shifting the order of words and phrases in a sentence
Irony (verbal, dramatic, situational)
Verbal Irony- the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning
Dramatic Irony- when a situation develops in a drama that is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play
Situational Irony- an event or occasion in which the outcome is significantly different from what was expected or considered appropriate
jargon
confused unintelligible language; the technical terminology or characteristic idiom of a special activity or group
juxtaposition
the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side often to compare, contrast, or create an interesting effect
lament
a passionate expression of grief or sorrow
lampoon
To criticize through the usage of sarcasm or other humorous styles
lyric
A poem type that writers use to show their emotions
melodrama
A book, movie, poem, or play that overly dramatic and exaggerated for the sake of inspiring emotion in the audience
metaphor
When a object or person is referred to as something they are not in order to highlight similar qualities or compare
meter
PATTERN OF STRESSED AN UNSTRESSED SYLLABLES IN A LINE OF VERSE
metonymy
The substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant.
motif
A recurring idea, object, or image in a literary work.
Narrator reliable vs. unreliable
Reliable Narrator:
Definition: A story in which the narrator presents a straightforward, credible account of events.
Unreliable Narrator:
Definition: A story in which we might not entirely trust what the narrator is telling us.
Nemesis
the inescapable agent of someone’s or something’s downfall or / a longstanding rival
Objectivity/Subjectivity
Objectivity
Definition: the quality of being objective (not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts).
Subjectivity
Definition: The quality of being based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.
onomatopoeia
The formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named.
oxymoron
A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.
parable
A short narrative with a moral lesson commonly used in religious texts. It comes from the Greek word of comparison.
paradox
A statement that appears to be self-contradictory but reveals a truth.
parallelism
The repetition of grammatical elements in writing and speaking
paraphrase
To restate a statement in different words than the original text while keeping the meaning and the sense of the original source
parody
a work that mimics the style of another work or genre in an exaggerated way (usually for comic effect)
pastoral
a style of writing that contrasts the rural life, often described as simple and pure, drastically to the urban life, often described as corrupt and artificial.
Pathos
WHEN WRITING EVOKES FEELINGS OF DIGNIFIED PITY AND SYMPATHY
Persona
THE NARRATOR IN A NON FIRST-PERSON NOVEL
Point of View
Definition: The position from where the story is being told. Includes omniscient narrator, first person, third person limited narrator, and stream of consciousness
PERSPECTIVE FROM WHICH THE ACTION IS PRESENTED
Omniscient narrator example: an all-knowing narrator WHO SEES INTO EACH CHARACTER’S MIND AND UNDERSTANDS ALL THE ACTION GOING ON
First person narrator example: A character in the story tells the story from their point of view.-WRITER USES “I”
Third person limited narrator example: A narrator tells the thoughts and actions of only one character. WRITER USES “HE’ OR “SHE”
Stream of consciousness technique example: Portrays the random thoughts that enter a character’s mind and is usually very jumbled and free. WRITER PLACES READER INSIDE THE MAIN CHARACTER’S HEAD
Protagonist
the main/leading character in any work of literature
Pun
a play on words that uses the double meanings of words or words that are phonetically similar to each other
Refrain
A regularly recurring phrase or verse especially at the end of each stanza or division of a poem or song.
Rhetorical Question
A question not intended to require an answer.
Satire
The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule, to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices.
Soliloquy
A poem, discourse, or utterance of a character in a drama that has the form of a monologue or gives the illusion of being a series of unspoken reflections.
SPEECH SPOKEN BY ONE CHARACTER ALONE ON STAGE
Speaker
The voice from which the passage’s point of view is coming from.
Stanza
A verse of lines in a poem.
ANALOGOUS TO A PARAGRAPH IN AN ESSAY OR STORY
Stock Character
The repetition of character archetypes and their stereotypes to a point where they become easily recognizable to the audience.
Suspension of Disbelief
the willingness of a reader to ignore critical thinking in order to enjoy a story
Synecdoche (Corinne)
a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa.
Syntax
the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.
Theme
MAIN IDEA OF THE WORK; WHAT THE AUTHOR WANTS TO COMMUNICATE ABOUT LIFE
Tone
THE ATTITUDE OR FEELINGS OF THE AUTHOR- CREATED THROUGH HIS WORDS
Tragic Flaw
WEAKNESS OF A CHARACTER (USUALLY A GOOD PERSON OVERALL) THAT LEADS TO THAT CHARACTER’S DEMISE
Verisimilitude
THE WRITING HAS THE QUALITY OF BEING VERY REALISTIC
Symbolism
the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.
Simile
the comparison of two things using “like” or “as”
Personification
applying human qualities to non-human things
